ANGRY hospital staff claim health bosses are wasting thousands of pounds ferrying them to Warrington by taxi each day while a new cent-ralised switchboard system is causing chaos.

Switchboard operators at Halton Hospital have been asked to work at Warrington with hospital chiefs picking up the estimated £300 taxi bill each week.

North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust is carrying out a formal consultation with all staff affected by the decision to cent-ralise switchboard services at Warrington Hospital.

But staff say a test last week of the new centralised system ended in chaos with switchboard staff unable to contact doctors to tell them of emergencies such as heart attacks.

One member of staff - who did not wish to be identified - said: 'It was absolute chaos. When there is what we call a 'crash' - when someone has had a heart attack for example - it is up to the switchboard to contact the doctors as soon as possible.

'But when the new system was being tested, it was complete meltdown. Doctors could not be called out. It was chaos.

'Morale among switchboard staff is at an all-time low. '

The Trust says that due to recent staff shortages, the Trust moved both switchboards to Warrington with effect from last Wednesday, with some staff being transferred from Halton to the Warrington site.

But they promise staff this is a temporary measure.

Finance director John Doyle said: 'Through the consultation process we are working closely with the staff affected as we are keen to ensure we retain the skills and knowledge they possess for the benefit of patients.'

A hospital spokesman confirmed there was an equipment failure in the paging system at Halton Hospital last week.

He said: 'This was quickly repaired and is fully operational. Following testing by the supplier, the Trust has confidence in the system's reliability and effectiveness.'